


Cotton Candy & Tension

by OhhMyy



Series: Coming Back To Life. [16]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Is a Good Bro, F/M, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 19:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8765605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhhMyy/pseuds/OhhMyy
Summary: In the aftermath of flirting gone too far, Bucky and Charlie struggle to get back on an even keel. What better way to cheer up our heroes than a group day out to a funfair.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Really short filler type chapter. No warnings. Just a bridge to the next part. I promise a get together is coming soon, I just love the angst.

She’s pretty sure she’s got some kind of whiplash from Natasha’s enthusiasm on the bumper cars, her hands feel sticky from Tony plying her with pink cotton candy and she’s abnormally frustrated with her inability to pick anything up with the claw machines. In short, a fun day out with the Avengers to a carnival, whilst indeed fun, is extremely taxing.

“Whoever had the idea to take you all to an amusement park needs shooting” She sighs, rolling her eyes as Clint playfully nudges her shoulder and then holds his arms out as the various stuffed animals she’s holding threaten to spill to the ground.

“It was you” He mumbles around a mouth full of cotton candy and beams at her with pink sugar fluff stick between his teeth.

“Take me to the vet, put me down, I’m an idiot” He pats her on the back with a false sense of camaraderie before clocking a balloon pop game. She watches his eyes widen and he turns to her as if asking permission; she nods with a smile and watches as he runs full pelt towards it.

She has three fairly large stuffed animals shoved under her arms and has to shake her head violently when Thor excitedly asks if it’s his turn to win her one.

_Sam Bloody Wilson had taken one look between the normally tactile Charlie and usually enamoured Bucky and noted the odd tension; standing purposefully far apart and avoiding eye contact; a usual human would have taken this as a sign to leave both alone but no, Sam Bloody Wilson had taken it upon himself to wind the former assassin up._

_“My Lady” He’d charmed, bowing to hand her the bright pink husky toy he’d just won hooking a rubber duck. Charlie had taken it with a smile and swatted him gently on the arm when he’d kissed her cheek, missing the scowl on Bucky’s face and the smirk Sam had shot in his direction._

_Bucky had taken his frustration out on throwing balls at a stack of cans in order to win a traditional teddy bear, holding it out to her with a mumble and walking away silently when she’d taken it with thanks.  He’d left with Steve to go and eat hotdogs; Steve informing them of their intended whereabouts and giving an authoritative command that everyone meet back up at 3pm._

_Tony had won a cuddly monkey and insisted that it was for him but that he was far too wealthy to carry his own belongings; lifting her arm and placing it in the crook of her elbow. His show of indifference did not fool her, or indeed the rest of the group._

“No Thor really, three is plenty!” She smiles at him, reaching forward with difficulty to pat his incredibly large bicep with her hand when he doesn’t beam back at her answer. He notes her difficulty and chuckles, blonde hair whipping behind him as he flicks his head slightly.

“Let me assist then, I shall carry the burden of the…cuddly toys?” He questions, raising an eyebrow to ask if he’d gotten the right turn of phrase, she nods and hands over the large teddy bear and pink husky; using her now free hand to wrap the moneys arms around her neck. “I shall guard Friend Barnes and Friend Falcons gifts with pride” He adds before wandering ahead to enjoy the sights and she smiles at his back as he walks; it’s difficult not to get face ache when talking to Thor.

Natasha, Sam and Tony are bickering behind her and she can overhear pieces of their conversation; evidently a debate about which one of them would be better at the strongman challenge and the fact Natasha takes umbrage with the name of the aforementioned strongman challenge. She hears Bruce laugh from beside her before he moves closer, inspecting her now empty arms. He takes a sip from the straw of his milkshake and raises an eyebrow at her.

“Are you sure Friend Barnes won’t get mad you’ve given his toy away?” He teases and it’s only the potential of shocking him that settles her urge to poke him in the arm as they walk.

“Thor’s just babysitting, Bruce and I’m not sure what you’re implying”

“You know exactly what I’m implying” He smiles, laughing gently at the doe eyed innocent face she pulls in his direction. He takes another slurp of the milkshake, gesturing it towards her in offering; she shakes her head, already fairly full and on the end of a sugar high.

“I don’t know Banner, I’m not a scientist so you’ll have to use really small words”

“You being funny doesn’t change that you like him” Considering how much time Bruce spends in the lab she’s continually amazed at his observation skills when it comes to the group but she reasons that in his trips to acquire tea he has walked in on more than a few of their conversations, seen them huddled together and though she’s touchy feely by nature she’s not stupid enough to miss that she is more so with the metal armed super soldier.

She splutters on nothing, stuffing her hands into her pockets and lowering her head slightly.

“God Bruce, beat around the bush why don’t you?”

“What can I say? I’m onto you” As much as she wants the conversation over she loves the sight of him so relaxed, jeans and a button down, sipping on a milkshake and smiling freely. Lifting her head she stops walking she bats her eyelashes at him.

“Nobody gets me like you do Bruce, you complete me, here take my monkey”  She lifts it from her neck and takes a step back to wrap the monkey around his shoulders, securing it in place with a loving pat at its crossed paws; snorting when she hears Tony yell in offence behind them.

“You could beat them all at strongman” She points out, inclining her head in a brief nod towards Tony.

“The other guy could, I could probably beat them at you know…science” She scrunches up her face and goes to form a retort before he nods at the returning super soldiers, winking at her as he walks behind her to join Tony, Sam and Natasha; she briefly hopes he kicks both their asses at the game just to prove a point but the thought leaves her head as Bucky heads gingerly in her direction. She halts her footsteps and it doesn’t escape her notice that the gaggle stop walking, giving them distance.

“Given away our gifts?” He asks, his voice is low and she knows he’s trying to be funny but the awkwardness between them just makes it seem like a dig. She raises her empty palms at him and tries to smile; she can’t see her own face but it definitely feels like a grimace happens instead.

“I was robbed?”

He laughs involuntarily and she realises that it’s only been a few days but she’s missed him; avoiding him because she’d made a drunken fool out of herself and her wounded pride when he’d not been in the kitchen with everyone the next morning couldn’t take the response she took for rejection; she’s been avoiding him much more than she thinks he has her. She wants him as a friend even if he doesn’t want anything more.

“Look Bucky, I’m sorry”

“Sorry for what?” His tone gives away the underlying question, sorry that she’s avoiding him or sorry for coming onto him; she sighs, wants to point out that he’s been avoiding her too.

“Sorry for-“

“I WON A GOLDFISH!” Clint yells, running over to the gaggle and holding up a clear bag with a small goldfish in; Charlie winces as the bag jostles the tiny creature but when he stops stationary he holds the bag to his face and places a delicate hand on the bottom to check his new friend is alright.

Tony, Natasha, Sam and Bruce have paced themselves up to them and Tony purses his lips, glancing between Clint and the clear bag he’s staring lovingly at.

“Did I authorise tower pets, birdbrain?” Tony reaches forward in an attempt to take the bag but Clint pulls it back, petulantly sticking out his tongue in Starks direction.

“Hey, no fair, we let you keep Charlie” Her mouth opens instantly before she closes it in a pout but Tony cuts her off before she can respond.

“If I loved her any more than I do she’d be me Clint, that’s a goldfish” He points towards the bag with obvious disdain.

“Well if I…wait…I love him. Charlie, back me up”

“Hell no, you compared me to a fish Barton”

He holds the bag up close to her face and points his finger to the goldfish then up to her face and back again, talking at the pair of them in a baby voice in an attempt to introduce her to his new pet. He’s staring at her with wide puppy dog eyes and she can see Steve and Bucky sniggering at her from behind Clint.

“Oh dammit, Tony let him keep the fish” Tony pouts but he knows he’s lost the battle, makes a mental note to call ahead, advise someone to pick up a fishbowl, food and a filter for the newest addition to the family.

Steve’s looking around like a concerned parent, wanting to round everyone up to head home; almost as if completely unaware that everyone is an adult, a super soldier, a trained soldier or a combination of all three.

Sam laughs, pointing into the distance at one of the rides.

There’s Thor; riding the tilt-a-whirl, beaming grin on his face, whilst swinging a giant inflatable hammer, two cuddly toys secured under his other arm.

They’re all relaxed and tired when they get home later that evening, scattering themselves around the living room and kitchen to watch rubbish Television. She has to pretend it doesn’t hurt when Bucky purposefully chooses a seat away from her; usual space next to her temporarily unoccupied.  Even Sam seems to be able to sense that winding the ex-assassin up isn’t the smartest choice, choosing to wish everyone a good night before heading off, shooting the group a wave. Charlie averts her eyes to the floor, sucking in a breath before sighing it out quietly, hands in her lap. She’s grateful when Bruce takes Bucky’s usual space, plopping beside her with two cups full of tea, he hands her one and places his own on the coffee table. He removes the monkey from around his neck, drapes it over her with a friendly smile and, unusually for Bruce, starts up a conversation with the others, saving her from silence.


End file.
